Reform no reason to nominate Armenian leader for third term

Reform no reason to nominate Armenian leader for third term, adviser says

Arminfo
29 Jul 05

YEREVAN

Constitutional reforms cannot serve as a reason for nominating
[incumbent Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan for a third term in
office, the Armenian president’s adviser, Armen Arutyunyan, said
during the discussion on the subject of “constitutional reforms after
the Venice commission’s [of the Council of Europe] suggestions” today.

Asked by the chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party, Vigen
Khachatryan, whether these words reflected the president’s view,
Arutyunyan said it had to be kept in mind that he is a lawyer and
adviser to the president. He added that the question wasn’t quite
correct.

The chairman of the Democracy public organization, Vardan Pogosyan,
noted that the definition of a “new constitution” in the Venice
commission’s draft conclusion is a misprint because such definition of
constitutional amendments is legally ruled out.